Your Guide to Charlotte During The Ultimate DECA Power Trip

Oct 7, 2024

DECA is excited to descend on the Queen City for the 2024 Ultimate DECA Power Trip.

With Charlotte’s vast dining and entertainment scene, it can be hard to choose what to do. Whether you prefer to walk or take a quick ride, here are some top bites and sights from North Carolina Officer Team 81 that will make your experience unforgettable!

The business names link to their websites, and the distance links to a map with directions from the Charlotte Convention Center for your convenience.

Charlotte’s Cuisine

Walkable

Amélie's French Bakery & Cafe | 1 min walk (131 ft)
The Sandwich Club | 1 min walk (308 ft)
Horace’s Hot Fried Chicken | 3 min walk (0.1 mi)
La Belle Helene | 4 min walk (0.2 mi)
Caroline’s Oyster Bar | 4 min walk (0.2 mi)
Mellow Mushroom (A Team 81 favorite!) | 5 min walk (0.2 mi)
Mariposa | 5 min walk (0.2 mi)
Dos Caminos | 6 min walk (0.3 mi)
Salata | 6 min walk (0.3 mi)
Jinja Ramen Bar | 7 min walk (0.3 mi)
Brown Bag Seafood | 7 min walk (0.3 mi)
Tupelo Honey | 7 min walk (0.3 mi)
The Market at 7th Street | 13 min walk (0.7 mi)
Uptown Yolk | 16 min walk (0.8 mi)

A Quick Ride

Note: drive times may differ from what’s listed based on the time of day and city rush!

Krispy Kreme (an original NC fan-favorite!)| 4 min drive (1.4 mi)
Optimist Hall | 5 min drive (1.5 mi)
Rhino Market and Deli | 4 min drive (1.9 mi)
Ace No .3 | 6 min drive (2.3 mi)
Cook Out (an original NC fan-favorite!) | 6 min drive (2.8 mi)
Bojangles (an original NC fan-favorite!) | 7 min drive (3.4 mi)
Dave’s Hot Chicken | 8 min drive (2.2 mi)

Queen City Activities

Walkable

Levine Museum of the New South | 3 min walk (0.1 mi)
Mint Museum | 5 min walk (0.2 mi)
Romare Bearden Park | 5 min walk (0.3 mi)
Museum of Illusions | 7 min walk (0.4 mi)
Bowlero Charlotte | 7 min walk (0.4 mi)
Charlotte Hornets Game | 8 min walk (0.3mi)
Discovery Place Science | 13 min walk (0.5 mi)
First Ward Park | 13 min walk (0.6 mi)

A Quick Ride

Note: drive times may differ from what’s listed based on the time of day and city rush!

Pins Mechanical Company | 5 min drive (1.6 mi)
Puttery | 6 min drive (1.6 mi)
Splatter Charlotte | 7 min drive (2.2 mi)
Camp North End | 8 min drive (2.3 mi)
House of Purge | 8 min drive (5.6 mi)
South Park Mall | 13 min drive (5.8 mi)
Billy Graham Library | 12 min drive (6.5 mi)
TopGolf | 14 min drive (9.8 mi)
White Water Center | 17 min drive (11.7 mi)
Carowinds | 16 min drive (12.7 mi)
Charlotte Motor Speedway | 20 min drive (18 mi)

Getting Around the Queen City

Information on transportation to the convention center may be found here. The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) provides the “Sprinter Bus,” which is a great option for traveling to and from the airport with Route 5 or 60. Routes and prices can be found here.

Surrounding Neighborhoods

Uptown Charlotte has a lot to offer, but there is so much to explore in surrounding neighborhoods around Charlotte! Check out the following:

Midtown: Located on the outskirts of Uptown, enjoy the skyline view along with the Little Sugar Creek Greenway, iconic Italian food at Mama Ricotta's and unmatchable deals at the Queen City Boutique.
Noda: Visit this old mill village now transformed into a vibrant arts district with thrift stores, music at the Evening Muse, shopping or tasty popsicles at Pop Bar.
South Park: Home of the largest shopping mall in the Carolinas, South Park offers dining, retail and elegant experiences with steakhouses like Steak 48 and relaxing brunch areas like Snooze.
Elizabeth: What was a streetcar suburb is now home to the Big Ben Pub and Restaurant, Elizabeth Creamery and iconic trolleys to hitch a ride on.
Dilworth: Enjoy Freedom Park, shop at CLT Find or Paper Skyscraper, and taste some rooftop hotdogs at JJ Red Hots.
South End: One of the most popular and historic Charlotte destinations! Visit Hawkers and North Italia, bike the Rail Trail or head to Atherton Mill for shopping (try your best to stick to a budget!).